Photovoltaic concentrator systems use various optical elements to concentrate incoming sunlight onto photovoltaic devices housed in photovoltaic concentrator assemblies, thereby collecting sunlight from a large area and concentrating it on a relatively small target area. Therefore, high efficiency photovoltaic cells, such as gallium arsenide-based (“GaAs”) photovoltaic cells, may be used in such photovoltaic concentrator systems in place of less efficient (and less expensive) silicon photovoltaic cells, thereby producing more energy per unit area at a reduced cost.
However, the electronic components of photovoltaic concentrator assemblies, including the photovoltaic cells, are sensitive to external environmental factors, such as temperature and moisture (e.g., humidity). Therefore, various attempts have been made to mitigate the effects of moisture on photovoltaic concentrator assembles. For example, photovoltaic concentrator assemblies have been sealed in compartments provided with windows that allow light to pass to the photovoltaic concentrator assemblies. However, the windows introduce additional optical loss and, therefore, reduce operating efficiency.
Accordingly, those skilled in the art continue to seek advances in the field of photovoltaic concentrator assemblies.